


teatime joy

by vanaah



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Academy phase, Breaking: Officer's Academy newest professor dates every student, Church of Seiros (Fire Emblem), Claude von Riegan is a Little Shit, Constance is a mood, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Spoilers, Fluff, Gen, HURT SLASH COMFORT??? IN MY BOOK, Hilda Valentine Goneril is a Little Shit, Hurt/Comfort, Like yes and no???? DOES sHE GET A TEATIME CHAPTER, MY BABIES, Marianne von Edmund Needs A Hug, My Unit | Byleth Has Emotions, No Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Time Skip, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Soft Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Students, Tags Are Hard, They do talk and do express more then they ever will in the games lol, Well for the most part, any fates enthusiasts here?, but some may not, but thats it, but they can be longer, characters, did i use the categories right????, does flayn count as church person?????, during the war phase: wow i miss professor byleth, fear the deer, for a day, golden deer was my first route, i just realized these tags are not helping at all lol, i kinda dont know how to write so, i love edelgard, i love fire emblem, i swear this will get better, im not sure what im doing, is that a suprise, it's in the students pov, lots of fluff, no beta we die like Glenn, not surprised thats a real tag, okay so, please, potentially, students being suckers for byleth, switches between m! and f!byleth, these are kinda short, these are platonic, these mostly take place during tea time hours, wow actually how do you tag, you think your life is hard try stanning edelgard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23220256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanaah/pseuds/vanaah
Summary: in which none of the students thought they'd end up here, yet somehow did
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/My Unit | Byleth, Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/My Unit | Byleth, Balthazar von Adalbrecht | Balthus von Albrecht/My Unit | Byleth, Caspar von Bergliez/My Unit | Byleth, Dedue Molinaro/My Unit | Byleth, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Dorothea Arnault/My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/My Unit | Byleth, Ferdinand von Aegir/My Unit | Byleth, Flayn/My Unit | Byleth, Hapi/My Unit | Byleth, Hilda Valentine Goneril/My Unit | Byleth, Ingrid Brandl Galatea/My Unit | Byleth, Linhardt von Hevring/My Unit | Byleth, Marianne von Edmund/My Unit | Byleth, Mercedes von Martritz & My Unit | Byleth, More like character & My Unit but for the sake of reaching more people it'll be /, My Unit | Byleth & Ignatz Victor, My Unit | Byleth/Bernadetta von Varley, My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan, My Unit | Byleth/Constance von Nuvelle, My Unit | Byleth/Hubert von Vestra, My Unit | Byleth/Leonie Pinelli, My Unit | Byleth/Lysithea von Ordelia, Petra Macneary/My Unit | Byleth, Raphael Kirsten & My Unit | Byleth, Sylvain Jose Gautier/My Unit | Byleth, Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc/My Unit | Byleth, seeing as though these all take place during the pre timeskip
Comments: 6
Kudos: 60





	1. mercedes

**Author's Note:**

> i'm kinda stumbling through these??? please bare with mensnsdbfdbfjd  
> (currently rewritting all the chapters! this notice will go away when i do)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mercedes big brain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers for chapter nine

Mercedes prides herself in being a humble, law-abiding citizen. An angel sent from the goddess herself; one who can ease away woes and pain with a few kind words. In all honesty, she wouldn’t have it any other way. Who else would consol the Blue Lions? Headstrong and all that. Always in their own world where self-improvement is above all else.

So much so, that she’s astutely aware of the reputation she’s made for herself while being here. Though it’s a bit hard to ignore it in the first place, more so since she’s much more aware then she lets on, but that’s all beside the point.

This isn’t about me! She pouted tenderly, her eyebrows furrowed in the way she does whenever she’s upset. She slumps in her chair, and begins to twiddle her thumbs. Was she embarrassed? It was hard to tell. Between the stillness in the air, and the way she refused to look her own professor in the eyes might’ve pointed to yes. But truly, she was upset. Upset that her professor seemed to avoid the subject on how she’s feeling every time she tried to bring it up. Mercedes didn’t skip out on her lunchtime to be in a quiet, secluded area with her unresponsive teacher, and she was sure of that.

It had been two weeks since Jeralt, her professor’s father has passed away. And while the former mercenary has been doing her best to educate, it’s very clear to see that she was still depressed about it. It didn’t take Mercedes’s ability to tell what’s wrong for her to notice. The professor’s true demeanor was probably the worst kept secret in the Blue Lion’s house. All were concerned, but they weren’t sure what else to do.

The days slowly turned to a week, and Mercedes thought it was about time to take matters into her own hands. Instead of the professor asking her politely to tea, she would instead ask her out to tea. And for a moment, all seemed to be going well.

She had not too long before that made scones to with the tea. Scones made from her whole heart that was absolutely guaranteed to bring the professor right back to her senses again and everything could be normal in their humble house once more. She alone was going to bring back the ‘Lions’ part of their name rather than it simply being Blue. Her confidence was brimming as she brought a smile of satisfaction to her face as she began to brew the tea, which she also poured her heart and soul into. Yes, the tea time was going to be full of love! She thought to herself.

And, slowly, she wondered where she went wrong, as she continued to twiddle her thumbs. The scones she had prepared for the occasion were nearly gone, and there was only one left of the silver platter. She knew it was impolite to stare down an look away from the guest. But she was stumped. All she wanted to do was perform a nice therapy session, in which her quiet professor would let out all her feelings, and then they could hug and cuddle to their heart’s content! Not that it was part of her plan, but who would deny a quick nap in each other’s arms when one was sad? Surely not the professor.

But none of that was going to happen if she didn’t quickly save this tea party. She should’ve known the professor wasn’t going to spill out her emotions so quickly, let alone easily. She was going to have to think of something before this tea time ended tragically.

“Professor…” she slowly started and proceeded to fix her posture and sit upright. Her face grew less wary. She had mumbled the first time, so the subdued professor continued to stare at the ever expansion of flowers in the gazebo.

“Professor,” she said a bit louder this time,”You’re tea will get cold! Do you want another cup?” Without looking at her teacher’s reaction, she grabbed the teapot and poured the honey drizzled drink into the loitering teacup. She was acting completely on instinct now, her words going into autopilot as she set her hands back on the table. It was now or never.

“Professor,” she said for the third time now. Mercedes let out a small grunt as she at her instructor in the eyes, only to see her green eyes looking back at her. The older woman continued, “I… I understand that you’re upset. We all do, as a matter of fact. You keep telling us that you’re fine when you’re not! You’re really important to all of us,” she breathed and thought about how to continue.  
“And, well, I’m sure you mean it with good intentions, but you’re lying to us. And it’s now more than ever that we need to trust you. How will we follow you out to battle, our lives in your hands, when we can’t even approach you like normal?” She stopped but quickly started again when she realized that her last words may have come off as insensitive.

“Believe me when I say that it’s always okay to mourn, and at your own pace, but teaching us is… something of a duty you must uphold. You need to know that you can rely on us the same way we rely on you. And, more importantly…” She reached out to her professor’s small hands and intertwined them with her also tiny ones. Byleth didn’t say anything. Mercedes took that as confirmation to continue.

“You can always come to me for anything!” Mercedes’s voice was sincere, coming off with the sweet tone that never failed to melt Byleth’s nonexisting heart. In that quiet, intimate moment between the two, where there were no other students around at the moment, the stoic professor smiled, a crack of vulnerability showing and a single, perfect tear went down her face. How could she had been so blind to the opportunities her students were giving her?

“Mercedes…” The first time her name was said today at this tea party. Said commoner hummed in acknowlegence, “Tha-thank you.” Her voice, for probably the first time, wasn’t commanding, or the usual softness that lingers whenever she spoke. It was quite; matching a whisper, and it was weak. It was frail. It was small. It was very, very tiny. And Mercedes frowned, but Byleth wasn’t finished yet.

Mercie began to rub circles on her professor’s hand, and Byleth continued.

“I’ll… I’ll be strong for everyone, and I’ll be even stronger for you.”

Truly, Mercedes was a gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehehe i love mercie


	2. marianne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth and Marianne share a nice cup of lavender tea under the gaze of the moonlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cracks knuckles* i think this one is actually good??? We'll see

Under normal circumstances, perhaps Marianne would’ve declined.

Scratch that. Because frankly? There was nothing normal about the arrangement in the first place. She would’ve denied anyone this strange offer to meet out somewhere in the monastery at night. This was not normal; not normal at ALL. 

Then again, the professor wasn’t anyone. A crying shame he wasn’t, because then he would’ve been a lot easier to reject. He would’ve been easier to say no to, and Marianne could’ve gone about her day. Like normal, and then go to sleep, soundly, mind you, because she wouldn’t have this underlying sense of regret if she didn’t show up in the first place. Yes… no wretched second thoughts to keep her up…

Another scratch, that’s just being indecent at that point. She would never forgive herself. Then again, how many people would be asking her for tea after curfew? Not many. Or none at all. Except one, because Marianne knew this teacher of hers was anything but normal. Was that good or bad? She didn’t know. In her line of thinking, she wasn’t very normal either, was she?

_ Am I normal?.... _ She thought to herself as she sat upright on her bed. If she showed up at her teacher’s request for tea together, she’d have to ask.  _ If _ she went, of course.

She was about to lie back down and close her eyes when yet another question appeared in her head.  _ Is that a normal question? Why would you ask the professor that? Would he answer?  _ She thought to herself, wincing at the thought of her professor saying  _ “No Marianne, you aren’t normal.” _ Truthfully, it was a horrifying prospect. Do the other students think to themselves during ungodly hours of the night, sitting ninety degrees upright in their bed? Probably not. She wouldn’t know anyway.

She thought back to herself,  _ Of course, Marianne, why wouldn’t he respond? He isn’t like you. He may be a man of few words, but surely he wouldn’t clam up when being asked a question and then proceed to pretend to ignore it.  _

And then another part of Marianne thought,  _ This is getting nowhere fast _ . The other Marianne’s in her head got quiet, realizing to themselves that their rambles were contributing to no one. And that it wasn’t contributing to anything. Real-life Marianne wished she knew when to stop talking or when to not speak at all, as she thought it would just make everyone’s life easier. That she was sure of and didn’t need the other little Marianne’s in her head bicker over it. They all silently agreed.

Breathing in, she tucked herself in the solace in her blankets, 100% sure that she would go to sleep when suddenly another idea invaded her head:  _ Is that why the professor doesn’t talk that much? _

She thought back to her last more notable conversations, in which she asked whether or not she was a nuisance. In short, the man said no. The professor was no conversationalist, that was certain. Goddess, he had even agreed with her when she said that she wasn’t good at telling stories. Were normal people good at telling stories? If so, that made her and the professor  _ un _ normal. And that didn’t sound so bad. Marianne nearly smiled. 

And suddenly, she was compelled to follow through with the request. Perhaps she should meet with the professor, the only other living company being the crickets and cicadas and whatever else only appeared at night. This hypothetical meet and greet was getting less and less scary by the minute. And without and regards about what time it was, or the consequences of meeting secretly, she began getting presentable. She practically didn’t recognize herself about such an impulsive and rash decision. She didn’t even bother to fix her bed as she quietly opened the door, and shuffled to the meet spot; the dock.

✿.｡.:* ☆:**:. . .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿✿.｡.:* 

“...I don’t think I’ve ever told you why this blend is one of my favorites. Then again, I suppose it’s not very interesting…” Marianne said. Her legs were hung over the edge. Not to where her feet could touch the water, but she could glide her flats over the water if she wanted. Tempting.

The teatime was strange. It wasn’t what she was expecting, to say the least. Then again, what was there to expect? She knew this was going to be strange the moment he asked if she could come. 

In other news, however, it was going… great. She doesn’t think she’s ever talked to someone in such great length. Everything was so calm, between the small sounds of the waves rolling in the lake, the blowing of the trees, the wind that shook them leaving as soon as they came. Even in the warmth of summer, Marianne couldn’t help but shiver slightly.

The professor was an excellent listener. She had something of a surge of confidence whenever she thought back to that conversation in particular, even if she did leave it on a sour note. If the professor wanted to say something about it, he didn’t talk about it here.

“No… tell me. There’s a reason behind everything, right?” He spoke softly. His eyes were on nothing in particular, and he drank some of the lavender tea. His right leg was bent it where the cup could be propped, and the left lied flat on the boardwalk. The waves were the only sounds heard once again.

Marianne looked into the cup, the cup stared back at her.  _ Now or never _ , she decided.

“Well…” She started. “It’s nothing too serious… You know how lavender has healing qualities? It’s supposed to help you sleep, and well, I have trouble sleeping.” She trailed the sentence off with a quiet laugh. “The horse’s like them too! It makes them calmer. It makes everything so much easier.” 

Byleth stayed silent. Marianne was half expecting this but was slightly disappointed nonetheless. Maybe the professor was a helpless insomniac along with her?

“My fath- Jeralt. He… whenever we would stop and stay at a place for more than a few days, he would have a pot of lavender ready. It would help me a lot as a child… I still use it from time to time today; being at the academy has made me more restless, I’ll admit.” He seemed to smile faintly at the memory, and Marianne unnecessarily noted to herself that he never referred to captain Jeralt as his father. She’d have to ask another time, it might ruin the mood if she asked then.

Marianne hummed. “That’s sweet… doesn’t that make us strange?” she asked and diverted her eyes to his face. Her teacher raised a brow at the question, one he probably couldn’t answer, much to her chagrin. “Nevermind,” she added quickly, “It’s nonsense.”

The young man sitting next to her exhaled, which nearly startled Marianne. It was pretty loud. Marianne could practically hear his gears turning, searching for an answer to her no-nonsense question.  _ I shouldn’t have asked, _ she thought to herself, but her train of depressing thoughts was cut off by his kind voice. His voice reminded her much of like the lavender that they were speaking of merely moments ago. Soft and delicate. Home away from home. Something she needed. It was beautiful, to say the least.

“If by strange, you mean by us constantly feeling preoccupied with thoughts and therefore can’t sleep at night, then yes. I do suppose we are a bit strange Marianne. If only a little.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sobs* Marianne
> 
> i probably would've written more but i wanted to get this out before i went to sleep. muah


	3. claude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BBYYYEEEE this one's so bad and rushed i gave up halfway through someone revoke my writers card

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the day is july 24

Claude remembered once, back when he had first arrived in Fodlan, that someone told him he would eventually turn out to be a small, mud shelled, particularly slow turtle. 

Surely, when he humored the little fortune teller lady, he thought she would say  _ “You’ll be destined for great things”  _ or at least something along those lines. Something nice to please him, speaking as though she was talking to the newly accounted heir of House Riegan. Never in a million years did he think he would be compared to a lethargic creature of… typically small proportions. Nothing against turtles though; Claude thought they could be great at times.

Though, today, he thought back to her words and thought that maybe she was right. Claude did indeed feel like a turtle today. Heavy…. And sleepy. Something was clearly wrong.

And it wasn’t like he went to sleep by the time the sun rose. In fact, he actually went to sleep early that day, because even then, he was feeling oh so… drowsy. Which was unlike him… he never got sleepy easily. He usually worked hours into the night, as that’s when everyone else was asleep and he could then get things done… not today, sadly.

The more he dwelled on it, the more he wanted to fall back into the comforts of the school bed and just sleep. For another hour. Was that so hard?

_ Today is a school day…. _ he thought, as he could hear the other students hear his room leave for breakfast. What kind of leader would he be if he slept in?  _ A really good one, all great minds need to sleep. _ He wasn’t wrong there.

He looked through the window, covered by the curtains. They were doing an awful job at covering anything though because the sun bled right through, blurring his eyes, but it was also a grim reminder about what he needed to do. Which was get up.

_ What did I eat yesterday? _ And then he realized that it wasn’t what he ate. His groggy head may have also been working akin to a turtle, but at least the turtle was running 100 miles a minute. And then the turtle put two and two together. 

Last evening, he had been with the professor, drinking tea. He didn’t think there was anything strange about the session, because they’ve done these numeral times before. And then he remembered how halfway through it, he felt tired. Claude felt like he was going to pass out right then and there. Never had he felt so exhausted, at least in one fell swoop. 

“Um, Teach, you mind if we cut this short? I’m,  _ augh _ ,” he yawned softly, his eyes getting heavier, “Really sleepy? This is weird.” He crossed his arms in front of him and put his head on them, and conked out right then and there.  _ Teach,  _ on the other hand, just smiled. A smile that was barely noticeable, but it was still there. It was one of those smiles that you’re parents give you after you do something really endearing. In this case, fall asleep mid-sentence.

The one and an only pink-haired twin-tailed girl approached the two, whispering, “Is he asleep?” Hilda moved over to where Claude was slumped over on and snickered, “That stuff really worked, huh? The only problem now is moving him I guess.” 

  
\-------

And then Claude woke up in the Golden Deer classroom, unbeknownst to him.

“Afternoon, sleepyhead!” It was a rough, yet friendly voice. Definitely Raphael’s.

“Lysithea nearly ate the cake,” another voice said, sounding annoyed, but more on the  _ Thankfully I was here _ side. Probably Leonie’s. He couldn’t really tell through the blindfold. Some fever dream he was having.

“Wait!! We haven’t even taken off the blindfold yet! He can’t see anything!” Hilda pointed out (there was no room for doubt), as she took off said blindfold. “Well?” she asks. 

_ “Happy Birthday!” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brithday is july 27 omg


End file.
